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Once again, Nevada & California Chapters of BHA are coordinating an effort to restore the Hallelujah Junction Wildlife Area (HJWA), a critical winter range for mule deer and a premium deer hunt zone that burned in several recent wildfires. Help us to collect bitterbrush seeds that will be used for future restoration efforts of public lands like our Bitterbrush planting event this fall, which will conclude with our Beers, Bands, & Bitterbrush stands celebration.
The HJWA is a property in Northeastern California along the Nevada border that was purchased by the CDFW to maintain critical winter range for multiple deer herds as well as habitat for pronghorn antelope and rocky mountain elk. The area spans two of California’s premium deer hunt zones X6B & X7A and has been historically sought after by many deer hunters in the State. The wildlife area also lies over the Washoe Tribe’s ancestral lands, where the Tribe hunted deer and pronghorn on their seasonal migration routes and fished from Long Valley Creek, which bisects the HJWA. This property burned in several wildfires over the past two decades, which destroyed much of the local flora critical to supporting the local wildlife. Unfortunately, failed restoration attempts and subsequent wildfires have left the landscape vulnerable to invasive species, such as cheat grass, pepperweed and others, which threaten to degrade critical habitat relied upon by the interstate, migratory mule deer in the Loyalton-Truckee and Doyle herds, as well as a population of resident deer and pronghorn antelope.
CA & NV BHA will gather with volunteers on June 29th, to source seeds from healthy plant stocks in the project region. The healthy bitterbrush stands on the Hallelujah Junction Wildlife Area will have flowered and be ready for harvest by late June, and so we will be looking to harvest at least 10lbs of seed to ensure we have enough to grow and plant for future restoration efforts.
Bring plenty of water, a hat, good hiking shoes, sun protection and appropriate clothing. We will meet at the North end of the Bordertown Casino parking lot before heading into the Wildlife Area.
Lunch will be provided for those that RSVP!